Problems With Your Septic System?

July 4th, 2013 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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A well maintained septic system is one of the best ways to ensure that you will not have to face the expensive cost of extensive repairs and replacement. Make water conservation a conscious effort such as only using the correct size of laundry cycle for the size of your load, spreading that laundry out over a period of several days instead of doing it all at once, using low flow faucet screens and high energy toilets.

It is also a good idea to filter all your washing machine discharge water, as common household lint is non-biodegradable. Make it a stringent household rule that nothing goes into the toilet or out a drain except what is biodegradable, and that includes chemicals. All chemicals should be prohibitive as they can disrupt the natural bacterial breakdown of the household waste in your septic tank. Finally, most importantly, get your septic tank pumped and inspected by your local septic professional every three to five years, or every year if you are using a garbage disposal.

Having done all of the above, how will you know if you are beginning to experience problems with your septic tank? Walk around your property occasionally and take care to notice anything unusual such as pooled, muddy, soil in the area of your tank or drainage field when there hasn’t been any rain. The smell of sewage around your property or in your home would warrant a call to your plumbing or septic professional, as well as frequent back-ups of water in your showers or toilets when doing laundry, etc. Also, having to get your septic tank pumped out too frequently is a sign that it is failing and should possibly be replaced.

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Choose a Home With City Sewer or a Septic System?

July 4th, 2013 Posted in Sewer-Septic Service and Installation
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To many of us, this may seem to be a moot question; either you have it or you don’t. But, such simplicity is not always the case. Some of us may be looking to purchase a home in an area that is somewhat divided, having rural areas with septic tanks and more densely populated areas with city sewer. Some neighborhoods may just be in the initial phases of planning and installing a sewer system which means that you will soon need to consider whether to do a septic to sewer conversion.

As someone who is actively looking to purchase a home, do you want to buy one with city sewer or septic? Is the type of waste management for your home and neighborhood an important consideration? If you are currently a homeowner with a septic system, living in an area that will soon be converted to a city sewer system that you will be paying for with increased taxes, will you sell? Are you prepared to speak on this issue at your next city council meeting or vote in the next city ballot? Believe it, these are major issues that some homeowners must consider.

The addition of a modern sewer system maintained by the city municipality is of great benefit to a community’s infrastructure. However, be informed that while such a system may be “hassle free” as to its maintenance (compared to a septic system), it is nonetheless paid for by the homeowner through taxation, usually escrowed over a set period of time.

Whereas a septic system can pose a potential threat to ground water quality (drinking water) if tank seepage occurs, a sewer system eliminates this concern as it is a contained system that not only controls and treats, but recycles wastewater. In addition to environmental protection, sewers are extremely beneficial in flood control, providing run-off and rainwater access into the system via storm drains.

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What Goes In, Must Come Out – Pump Your Septic Tank

July 4th, 2013 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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This is good advice to remember for many types of systems, including our digestion, but it is especially important when it pertains to your septic system. Of course, this is not something that most people wish to talk about, much less dwell on; however, if you are a homeowner with a septic system, you will most assuredly want to monitor what goes into that system.

Unfortunately, people who are used to the convenience of city maintained sewer systems are generally unconcerned about what begins a journey in their home drainage piping. The old adage  “out of sight, out of mind,” is definitely applicable here. In most homes with a city sewer system, almost everything seems to be considered “flushable.” Although this should not be the case, it is true that what could safely be disposed of down a sewer system could, eventually, lead to costly repairs and maintenance to your septic system.

The reason for this is, in part, because your septic system, in essence, “sorts” solid waste from liquid waste. The solid waste settles down to the bottom of your septic tank, while the liquid waste is pumped out of the tank into a drainage field. Over time, most of the solid material gets broken down by bacteria; after which, it is also removed to the drainage field. Eventually, though, the remainder of the solid material on the bottom of the tank will build up, requiring a visit by your local septic professional to pump out the septic tank. Therefore, you do not want to flush or pour anything potentially hazardous (like chemicals) or items that are not biodegradable, such as dental floss, feminine hygiene products, diapers, cigarette butts, cat litter, Kleenex, cotton swabs or coffee grounds, condoms and household cleaners, among other things.

 

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Does Your Septic Tank Need Pumping?

July 4th, 2013 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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Unlike the carefree use of a city maintained sewer system, your septic system does require some occasional maintenance. A septic system is primarily a large tank on your property in which all of the water drainage from your home flows.  It functions as a separator of solid and liquid waste, wherein the solid waste settles to the bottom of the tank, while the liquid waste is pumped back out of the tank into a prepared drainage field. Natural bacteria in the tank serves to break down much of the solid waste over time, however, eventually the tank does become full and in need of being pumped out by a certified septic tan pumper.

Most septic systems require septic tank pumping every three to five years, depending on the amount of water used by the household. For those homes that use a garbage disposal, it is recommended that your tank be pumped every year so as to ensure your drainage pipes remain free of unnecessary or problematic clogs which can be cause by the use of garbage disposals.

Before your local septic professional actually pumps out your tank, you may want to have the thickness of the layers of scum and sludge measured, in order to anticipate how often in the future your septic tank will need to be pumped. This is also a good time to have your septic system thoroughly inspected to ensure that everything is working properly. While this may cost an additional amount, it is well worth the expense, considering that replacing your system or the drainage field could cost thousands of dollars.

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Septic Systems Require Water Conservation

July 4th, 2013 Posted in Drain Field
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For years now, there has been much public conversation and concern relative to water pollution, and to the importance of protecting this precious natural resource. However, aside from changing faucet screens or showerheads, the average consumer rarely considers the amount of water that is being used in their home. Unfortunately, if we are blessed to live in an area where water is still plentiful, we give it very little thought, if any.

If you are on a septic system, you can help protect the environment and extend the life of your septic system by conserving water.  In a septic system, household waste water and other materials that go down the drain flows to the septic tank where it is separated as to solid and liquid waste.  The liquid flows or is pumped out of the tank into a nearby drain field. However, inherent with having a septic system, homeowners should also monitor and conserve the amount of water that is being used by the household at any given time. Because the septic tank needs time to process and separate the incoming wastewater from all the household drains, it can only handle so much water at one time.

If, for instance, you have a large household and tend to do a lot of laundry at one time, you may want to consult with your local septic professional about increasing the size of your septic tank. Another way to conserve the amount of water that you use at once could be to spread that laundry out over a period of several days during the week. Perhaps you’ll want to replace your existing toilets with those of greater efficiency and install low flow nozzles on all of your faucets. Finally, if you observe a leaky faucet or continuously running toilet, make sure to get those fixed right away as, in these cases, a little leak adds up quickly to a lot of wasted water.

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